SUPER MONDAY

A motivational and informational morning message from Superintendent Willis

Week 26 ~ February 17th, 2025

Super Monday Message

Happy President’s Day! As President’s Day was created to honor President Washington and President Lincoln, I feel it important to focus most President’s Day messages on them. When President Washington was near the end of his second term as president he made the decision not to run for a third term. Back then there were no term limits. President Roosevelt getting elected to four terms as president inspired the nation to put presidential term limits into the constitution. 

President Washington was the first president and so everything he did set a precedent for all the presidents to follow him. So it was with his leaving office, he decided he needed a farewell address. He called on Alexander Hamilton, his Secretary of the Treasury, and James Madison, a prominent member of the House of Representatives, to help him draft the address. The address was so unifying and inspiring that for over 125 years the United States Senate has selected a senator to read the address on the senate floor. A Utah senator has been selected for the honor three times with the last time being in 1975.

President Washington’s address focused first on unity. He called on Americans to put their pride in being an American over all other affiliations by saying, "The name of American, which belongs to you in your national capacity, must always exalt the just pride of patriotism more than any appellation derived from local discriminations." He explained that our unity is our main pillar for defending freedom, “The unity of government which constitutes you one people is also now dear to you. It is justly so; for it is a main pillar in the edifice of your real independence, the support of your tranquility at home, your peace abroad, of your safety, of your prosperity, of that very liberty which you so highly prize.”

President Washington did not like the political party system and he spoke against it in his address saying, “It agitates the community with ill founded jealousies and false alarms, kindles the animosity of one part against another, foments occasionally riot and insurrection. It opens the door to foreign influence and corruption, which find a facilitated access to the government itself through the channels of party passions. Thus the policy and the will of one country are subjected to the policy and will of another.”

President Washington even took some time to mention the importance of Americans establishing schools and becoming educated. He believed in the importance of an educated public. He started, “Promote then, as an object of primary importance, institutions for the general diffusion of knowledge. In proportion as the structure of a government gives force to public opinion, it is essential that public opinion should be enlightened.”

He closed the speech with optimistic faith that we will live in freedom under good laws, “I anticipate with pleasing expectation that retreat in which I promise myself to realize without alloy the sweet enjoyment of partaking, in the midst of my fellow citizens, the benign influence of good laws under a free government—the ever favorite object of my heart, and the happy reward, as I trust, of our mutual cares, labors, and dangers.”

You can study the entire speech with this link. Have the best President’s Day and the best week 26.

Super High Fives

Just a couple of the awesome recent accomplishments that need a big thank you. 

• A follow up super high five to Mr. Ivie. The UEN finished the production of their mini series show about the great work in the Piute High School Music department. Here is a link to the show. An awesome representation of the great work being done at Piute High School.
• A late super high five to the wrestlers, their coaches, and their fans. Every season is a lot of work and a lot of time. Great work!

Other Super Information

• School District Mission Statement & Slogan Survey
• Latest Elementary School Design (CES) (OES) Updated
• Winter Sports Calendar
• Spring Sports Calendar
• 2024-2025 School District Calendar
• 2025-2026 School District Calendar

Super Weekly Schedule